Traction-belt



H. C. STEELE.

TRACTION BELT.

APPLICATION F|LED MAR. 21. 191s.

Patented May 4, 1920.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

HUG-H C. STEELE, F MINNEAPLIS, MINNESOTA.

TRACTION-BELT.

Application filed March 21, 1919. Serial No. 284,129.

To all who/1L t may conce/'n Be it known that I, HUGH C. STEELE, af

citizen of the United States, resident of Minneapolis, county of Hennepin, State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction-Belts, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a traction belt composed of links 'having freedom of oscillation in one direction only, so that the links may follow the periphery of a sprocket wheel and without the use of a continuous support throughout its entirelength between the wheels may resist the tendency toward upward deflection when the tread members come in contact with any unevenness .in the soil or obstruction over which the belt mustZtravel. In other words, the belt is free tog follow the curvature of the sprocket wheels' by bending outwardly at the oints, but @between the wheels there may be atendency to bend inwardly through the engagement of the belt with some obstruction. Such tendency is positively prevented by the construction of the links.

A furthercbject is to simplify the conl struction of the belt shown and described in my U. S. Patent No. 1,313,964, issued August 26, 1919, in which a means is employed for holding the lips in their interlocking relation.

A further object is to provide a belt in 'l which the pivot pins or bolts subject to wear and breakage are eliminated.

A further and particular object is to provide a belt of inexpensive construction and one which will be very strong and durable.

The invention consists generallyin various constructions-and combinations, all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1920.

Fig. T is a cross sectionajl view taken on the line 7--7 of Fig. 2. ,i

In the drawing, 2 represents the center plate having upwardly turned end sections 3 at right angles substantially to the middle portion.

Inner and outer plates 4 and 5 are secured to these end pieces or sections 3 by any suitable means, such as rivets 6. rlhe inner plates 4 have ears 7, the vertical edges of which are provided with lips 8 and the outer plates 5 have similar ears 9 provided with lips 10, the lips of one plate being turned outwardly and the other inwardly, as own in Figs. 1 and 2. Secured to the centeA plate 2 by any suitable means, such as bolts 511, are' inner and outer plates 12 and 13.

The outer or tread plate 13 extends the full width ofthe belt and has upwardly turned flanges 14 andl formed onl its lon gitudinal edges, with recesses 16 and 17 between them and between the flanges 15 and the ends of the plate. Then the plates are assembled, the flanges of one plate will enter the recesses of the adjgining plates. This interlocking of the longitudinal edges of the ment ofthese plates in the belt and when.

the plates are. assembled the edges of the flanges 14 will be in alinement with the flanges 15 of the adjoining plates and the edges 18 of the plates will be in alinement with the flanges 14 of the adjoining plates. As shown in figures. the flanges 14 and 15 are turned upwardly and the plate 12 is provided on its longitudinal edges with downwardly turned flanges 19 and 20, the flanges 19 fitting into recesses 21 provided between the flanges 14 and the plate 2 and the flanges 2O entering recesses 22 provided between the flanges 15 and the plate 2. The edges, therefore. of the flanges 19 and 20 of the adjacent plates will be in alinement and the oppositely turned arrangement of the flanges. while permitting one link to rock freely upon the adjacent links, will prevent the separation of the longitudinal edges ofthe links. The flanges 19 and 20 are preferably beveled at 23 to allow freedom of rocking of the links to conform to the teeth of the sprocket. Clips 24 are bolted on the links and carry anti-friction rollers 25 which serve as contacts for the belt on the Ina-chine frame.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the compara tively sharp edges formed on the iianges 19 and 2O will contact with the inner lower surfaces of theflanges 14 and 15, torming 'a substantially knife-edge bearing for the iocking ot one link upon another and re ducing undue wear and friction at this point. lVhen the plates are fitted together and secured, the separation of one link from the otheis will be prevented.

In passing around the sprocket wheel the interlocking, inwardly projecting position of the links will lollow a shorter aic than the treads of the links (see Fig. 1) and the ears 7 and 9 will slide past each other to accommodate themselves to their shorter arc l of travel.

The tread plates provide a flat, uniform surface on the underside. with the edges 18 in sufliciently close relation to pi'eveiit the soil from ,working up between the links. The abutting relation ot these edges also serves as means for keeping the flanges of the plates in aliiieinent, preventing the bearings of the flanges 19 and 20 from leaving their seats in the flanges 14 and l5.

I claim as-my invention:

1.' A traction belt comprising a series ot links, each composed of inner and outer members, the abutting longitudinal edges of said members having a series of oppositely projecting lips formed thereon with recesses between the lips, the lips of each inner and outer member fitting into the recesses of the adjacent corresponding meinbers and interlocking with the oppositely turned lips ot the abutting members, and means for securing said innei` and outer members against separation.

2. A traction belt comprising a series of links, each composed of inner and outer members, the abutting longitudinal edges of said members having a series of.: oppositely projecting lips formed thereon with recesses between the lips, the lips of each inner and youter member fitting into the recesses ot the.

adjacent corresponding members and interlocking with the'oppositely turned lips of the abutting members, means for securing saidlinner and outer members against sepa ration, and bolts passing through said meinbers for binding them together.

3. A traction belt comprising a series of links, each -composed of inner and outer members, the abutting` longitudinal edges of said members having a series of oppositely projecting lips formed thereon with recesses between the lips, the lips of each inner and outer member fitting into the recesses of the adjacent corresponding members and interlocking with the oppositely turned lips of the abutting members, and means for securving said inner and outei' members against separation, the lips of one member having knife-edge bearings on the corresponding lips ot the abutting member. j

4. A traction belt comprising inner and outer members having their longitudinal edges provided with projecting lips, with recesses between the lips, the lips of one member entering the recesses of the corresponding adjacent member, the lips of the inner members being positively turned with respect to the outer members and interlocking therewith when the members are assembled, the ends ot the corresponding members having flat bearing Jfaces for contact when the members are in the same plane, said surfaces forming stops to'prevent inward deflection of said belt.

A traction belt eomp'risinginner and outer plates having lugs formed at intervals on their longitudinal edges and provided with inwardly turned lips, and the outer plates having lugs `formed at intervals on their longitudinal edges provided with inwardly turned lips, the projecting lugs of each plate forming recesses between them into which the oppositely arranged lugs of the adjacent plate are inserted, said lips having bearing surfaces one upon the other and means for 'clamping said-innei and outer plates together to prevent separation of said plates.

6. A traction belt composed of a series of' links, each link comprising an inner and an outer member, and an intermediate member, said intermediate member having outwardly turned ends, and said inner and outer members having right angled extensions secured to said outwardly turned ends, said eXtensioiis having oppositely turned lips for engagement one with the other, said inner and outer members having lugs formed on their longitudinal edges and provided with oppositely projecting lips` the lugs of one member projecting into the recesses formed between the lugs of the corresponding adjacent member and interlocking with the oppositely turned lugs'otl the other member, and means for securing said members together to hold said lugs against separation.

7. A traction belt composed of a series of flat links, each link comprising an inner and an outer member, the inner member of each link having a longitudinal edge for inteilocking with the corresponding edge of the outer member -of the adjacent link, said edges having means to permit a limited outward deflection of said links out of alineinent with each other but preventing inward deflection thereof, and means for securing the inner and outer members of each link together. 

